how does the shape of a animal cell effect the function of the cell

Question

anonymous · Answer

The shape of a cell will affect its surface area. The surface area of a cell dictates how much interaction the cell will have with its environment. Cells with high surface area are usually cells that require a lot of interaction with their environment. A cilliated cell in the lung is used to transfer oxygen in/out of the body.

Improper cell shape can affect it ability to take in Oxygen and Carbon dioxide. This is a case similar to sickle cell disease.


A good example of specialized cell shape is the neuron. They must be very long and skinny to allow the nervous system to function. Another example is epithelial cells, including skin cells, which bind tightly to one another to form a continuous sheet